--- name: "Dabney Coleman" canonical: "https://film.one/person/dabney-coleman" fi1m_id: "dabney-coleman" imdb_id: "nm0001056" tmdb_id: 12850 wikidata_id: "Q446717" roles: ["Actor"] born: "3 January 1932" died: "16 May 2024" reviewed_on_fi1m: 9 average_fi1m_score: 72 average_as: "actor" average_over: 9 updated: "2026-10-05T01:34:27.421305+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Dabney Coleman ## Identity Dabney Coleman - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/dabney-coleman - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** dabney-coleman - **IMDb ID:** nm0001056 - **TMDB ID:** 12850 - **Wikidata ID:** Q446717 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabney_Coleman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q446717, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001056/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12850 Actor. Born 3 January 1932 in Austin, Texas, USA. Died 16 May 2024. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 3 January 1932, Austin, Texas, USA - **Died:** 16 May 2024 - **Active:** 1974–2010 - **Also known as:** Dabney Wharton Coleman - **Frequently works with:** [Bruce Gilbert](https://film.one/person/bruce-gilbert-14841.md), [Jane Fonda](https://film.one/person/jane-fonda.md), [Tom Hanks](https://film.one/person/tom-hanks.md) - **Golden Globes:** 1 Golden Globe (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 72, as actor, over 9 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 68 (1), 1980s 73 (5), 1990s 66 (2), 2010s 80 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 67 across 8 titles - **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 1 of 6 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 5, Drama 4, Romance 3, Action 2, Crime 2, Thriller 2 - **Screen time:** 15 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $1,258m across 8 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabney_Coleman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q446717, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001056/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12850 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Tootsie*](https://film.one/film/tootsie.md) (85) - **AMC+:** [*WarGames*](https://film.one/film/wargames.md) (82) - **Disney+:** [*Nine to Five*](https://film.one/film/nine-to-five.md) (73) - **Peacock:** [*On Golden Pond*](https://film.one/film/on-golden-pond.md) (72) - **Apple TV:** [*You've Got Mail*](https://film.one/film/youve-got-mail.md) (66) - **Netflix:** [*Dragnet*](https://film.one/film/dragnet.md) (55) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Dabney Coleman > Dabney Coleman made the man in charge funny by letting him remain thoroughly unpleasant. His deadpan timing gave comic bosses a conviction that we relish, though scripts sometimes asked him to supply little else. Dabney Coleman's bosses speak with little apparent expectation of being challenged. His Texas drawl and deadpan timing let their self-importance remain intact while the audience laughs. We admire the restraint: he does not need to make an unpleasant man likeable to make him worth watching. The useful turn came with Merle Jeeter in *Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman* (1976–77), followed by Franklin Hart Jr. in *9 to 5* (1980). Those parts established the comic authority figure who would recur through his work. He could be funny while giving the other performers good reason to dislike him. In Sydney Pollack's *Tootsie* (1982), his Ron Carlisle is a chauvinist soap-opera director, a useful occupation for Coleman's particular sort of bully. The job gives his bossiness a respectable excuse. He fits comfortably into the alert supporting cast around Dustin Hoffman, giving the comedy a readily recognisable kind of workplace nuisance. We recommend the film warmly, with some scepticism about the lessons it starts teaching about women. John Badham's *WarGames* (1983) gives his McKittrick a less satisfying job. We enjoyed his firm resistance to David, because Coleman makes the adult's certainty entertaining even when the script makes it too easy to dismiss. Alongside Barry Corbin's General Beringer, he supplies brisk opposition, but the adults are less persuasive than the teenagers. Parkes and Lasker ask for quick, definite responses where a little uncertainty might have given Coleman more to play. It is still a tense, funny thriller we recommend; our reservation is that he has too little room to make McKittrick more than an obstacle. That is a limitation of the writing, rather than a reason to dismiss the actor. The lead role in *Buffalo Bill* (1983–84) exposed the difficulty of sustaining a series around an unlikeable man; *Boardwalk Empire* (2010) later gave him the dramatic part of the ruthless Commodore Louis Kaestner. The comic boss was not all he could do. Start with *Tootsie*, where the surrounding cast gives that well-practised unpleasantness plenty to work against. ## Biography Dabney Wharton Coleman was an American actor. He appeared in more than 60 films and numerous television programmes over six decades, often in supporting roles as egomaniacal or unlikeable authority figures. Coleman trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York with Sanford Meisner from 1958 to 1960. He made his Broadway debut in the short-lived play *A Call on Kuprin* in 1961. His film roles include *9 to 5* (1980), *On Golden Pond* (1981), *Tootsie* (1982) as Ron Carlisle, and *WarGames* (1983). On television he played the title characters in the series *Buffalo Bill* (1983–1984) and *The Slap Maxwell Story* (1987–1988), Burton Fallin in *The Guardian* (2001–2004), and Louis “The Commodore” Kaestner in *Boardwalk Empire* (2010–2011). He also voiced Principal Peter Prickly in the animated series *Recess* (1997–2001). Coleman received one Primetime Emmy Award and one Golden Globe Award. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com, thetimes.com.* ## On Fi1m (9) - *Boardwalk Empire* (2010), Fi1m 80, as Commodore Louis Kaestner — [page](https://film.one/tv/boardwalk-empire.md) - *Stuart Little* (1999), Fi1m 66, as Dr. Beechwood — [page](https://film.one/film/stuart-little.md) - *You've Got Mail* (1998), Fi1m 66, as Nelson Fox — [page](https://film.one/film/youve-got-mail.md) - *Dragnet* (1987), Fi1m 55, as Jerry Caesar — [page](https://film.one/film/dragnet.md) - *WarGames* (1983), Fi1m 82, as McKittrick — [page](https://film.one/film/wargames.md) - *Tootsie* (1982), Fi1m 85, as Ron Carlisle — [page](https://film.one/film/tootsie.md) - *On Golden Pond* (1981), Fi1m 72, as Bill Ray — [page](https://film.one/film/on-golden-pond.md) - *Nine to Five* (1980), Fi1m 73, as Franklin M. Hart Jr. — [page](https://film.one/film/nine-to-five.md) - *The Towering Inferno* (1974), Fi1m 68, as Deputy Chief #1 — [page](https://film.one/film/the-towering-inferno.md) ## Complete filmography (161) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Dolly Parton: An American Original – Special Edition of 20/20* (2026), as Franklin M. Hart Jr (archive footage) - *Yellowstone* (2018), series, as John Dutton Sr. - *For the People* (2018), series, as Donald - *Rules Don't Apply* (2016), as Raymond Holliday - *Ray Donovan* (2013), series, as Mr. Price - *Pound Puppies* (2010), series, as Mayor (voice) - *Boardwalk Empire* (2010), series, as Commodore Louis Kaestner — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/boardwalk-empire.md) - *Hard Four* (2007), as Spray Loomis - *Heartland* (2007), series, as Dr. Bart Jacobs - *Courting Alex* (2006), series, as Jack Atwell - *Domino* (2005), as Drake Bishop - *Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade* (2003), as Principal Prickly (voice) - *Recess: All Growed Down* (2003), as Principal Prickley (voice) - *NCIS* (2003), series, as John Sydney — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md) - *Where the Red Fern Grows* (2003), as Grandpa - *Moonlight Mile* (2002), as Mike Mulcahey - *The Climb* (2002), as Mack - *Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street* (2001), as Principal Peter Prickly - *The Guardian* (2001), series, as Burton Fallin - *Kiss My Act* (2001), as Henry - *Recess: School's Out* (2001), as Principal Peter Prickly (voice) - *The Zeta Project* (2001), series, Actor - *How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale* (2000), as John Kennedy - *Stuart Little* (1999), as Dr. Beechwood — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/stuart-little.md) - *Must Be Santa* (1999), Actor - *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Frank Hager - *Inspector Gadget* (1999), as Chief Quimby - *Giving It Up* (1999), as Johnathan Gallant - *Taken* (1999), as Ethan Grover - *You've Got Mail* (1998), as Nelson Fox — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/youve-got-mail.md) - *Exiled* (1998), as Lieutenant Kevin Stolper - *My Date with the President's Daughter* (1998), as George Richmond - *Target Earth* (1998), as Senator Ben Arnold - *Recess* (1997), series, as Principal Peter Prickly (voice) - *A Witch's Way of Love* (1997), as Joel - *Devil's Food* (1996), as Seymour Kecker - *E! True Hollywood Story* (1996), series, Actor - *Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child* (1995), series, as Monsieur Fox (voice) - *In the Line of Duty: Kidnapped* (1995), as Arthur Milo - *Judicial Consent* (1994), as Charles Mayron - *Madman of the People* (1994), series, as Jack 'Madman' Buckner - *The Magic School Bus* (1994), series, as Horace Scope (voice) - *Clifford* (1994), as Gerald Ellis - *The Beverly Hillbillies* (1993), as Milburn Drysdale - *Amos & Andrew* (1993), as Chief of Police Cecil Tolliver - *Lincoln* (1992), as Stephen A. Douglas (voice) - *There Goes the Neighborhood* (1992), as Jeffrey Babitt - *Drexell's Class* (1991), series, Actor - *Never Forget* (1991), as William Cox - *Meet the Applegates* (1990), as Aunt Bea - *Short Time* (1990), as Burt Simpson - *Where the Heart Is* (1990), as Stewart McBain - *Maybe Baby* (1988), as Hal - *Hot to Trot* (1988), as Walter Sawyer - *Baby M* (1988), series, as Gary Skoloff - *Plaza Suite* (1987), as Jesse Kiplinger - *The Slap Maxwell Story* (1987), series, Actor - *Dragnet* (1987), as Jerry Caesar — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/dragnet.md) - *Sworn to Silence* (1987), as Martin Costigan - *Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story* (1987), as Ed Sigel - *Fresno* (1986), series, as Tyler Cane - *The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer* (1986), as Dabney Coleman - *Murrow* (1986), as William Paley - *The Man with One Red Shoe* (1985), as Cooper - *The Muppets Take Manhattan* (1984), as Martin Price - *Cloak & Dagger* (1984), as Jack Flack / Hal Osborne - *WarGames* (1983), as McKittrick — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/wargames.md) - *Buffalo Bill* (1983), series, as Bill Bittinger - *Tootsie* (1982), as Ron Carlisle — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/tootsie.md) - *Young Doctors in Love* (1982), as Dr. Joseph Prang - *Modern Problems* (1981), as Mark Winslow - *On Golden Pond* (1981), as Bill Ray — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/on-golden-pond.md) - *Callie & Son* (1981), as Randall Bordeaux - *Dan August: The Jealousy Factor* (1980), as Rick Bessett - *Nine to Five* (1980), as Franklin M. Hart Jr. — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/nine-to-five.md) - *Melvin and Howard* (1980), as Judge Keith Hayes - *How to Beat the High Cost of Living* (1980), as Jack Heintzel - *Pray TV* (1980), as Marvin Fleece - *Nothing Personal* (1980), as Dickerson - *When She Was Bad...* (1979), as Jack Wilson - *North Dallas Forty* (1979), as Emmett Hunter - *Diff'rent Strokes* (1978), series, Actor - *More Than Friends* (1978), as Joshua 'Josh' Harrington - *Apple Pie* (1978), series, as Fast Eddie Murtaugh - *Maneaters Are Loose!* (1978), as McCallum - *The Case of the Baltimore Girls* (1978), as George Bates - *Rolling Thunder* (1977), as Maxwell - *Forever Fernwood* (1977), series, Actor - *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Van Milner - *Black Fist* (1977), as Heineken - *Viva Knievel!* (1977), as Ralph Thompson - *Quincy, M.E.* (1976), series, as Dr. Burt Travers, Officer Peter O'Neil - *Midway* (1976), as Captain Murray Arnold - *Kiss Me... Kill Me* (1976), as Capt. Logan - *Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman* (1976), series, as Merle Jeeter - *The Other Side of the Mountain* (1975), as Dave McCoy - *Bite the Bullet* (1975), as Jack Parker - *Switch* (1975), series, as C.C. Owens - *Medical Story* (1975), series, as Blair - *Returning Home* (1975), as Al Stephenson - *Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan* (1975), series, as Paul Mathison - *The Towering Inferno* (1974), as Deputy Chief #1 — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-towering-inferno.md) - *Bad Ronald* (1974), as Mr. Wood - *Petrocelli* (1974), series, as Willy Morgan - *The Manhunter* (1974), series, Actor - *Sons and Daughters* (1974), series, Actor - *The Dove* (1974), as Charles Huntley - *House of Evil* (1974), Actor - *Cinderella Liberty* (1973), as Executive Officer - *Kojak* (1973), series, as Alex Linden — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md) - *The President's Plane Is Missing* (1973), as Sen. Bert Haines - *Dying Room Only* (1973), as Bob Mitchell - *Moving Target* (1973), Actor - *Savage!* (1973), as Ted Seligson - *Police Story* (1973), series, Actor - *Barnaby Jones* (1973), series, as George Clark, Ted Sayers, Brad Adamson, Paul Cleveland - *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), series, as George Todd, Andrew Horvath, Sr. - *Banyon* (1972), series, as Ralph Hubbard - *Search* (1972), series, Actor - *McMillan & Wife* (1971), series, as Hansen, Walter Jennings - *Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law* (1971), series, as Frank Wellmam - *Columbo* (1971), series, as Hugh Creighton, Detective Murray — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md) - *Cannon* (1971), series, Actor - *I Love My Wife* (1970), as Frank Donnelly - *Dan August* (1970), series, as Rick Bessett - *The Mary Tyler Moore Show* (1970), series, as Congressman Phil Whitman — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mary-tyler-moore-show.md) - *The Brotherhood of the Bell* (1970), as Agent Shepard - *Nanny and the Professor* (1970), series, as Detective Robinson - *Downhill Racer* (1969), as Mayo - *Medical Center* (1969), series, Actor - *Then Came Bronson* (1969), series, as Dr. Ron Carlisle - *The Bold Ones: The New Doctors* (1969), series, as Dr. Goldstone - *Room 222* (1969), series, Actor - *The Trouble with Girls* (1969), as Harrison Wilby - *The Mod Squad* (1968), series, as John - *The Scalphunters* (1968), as Jed - *Mannix* (1967), series, as Ralph Stoner, Howard Graham - *Judd, for the Defense* (1967), series, Actor - *The Flying Nun* (1967), series, as Sub. Captain - *Ironside* (1967), series, as Daniel Leary - *The Invaders* (1967), series, as Capt. Mitchell Ross, John Carter - *That Girl* (1966), series, as Dr. Leon Bessemer - *This Property Is Condemned* (1966), as Salesman - *The Slender Thread* (1965), as Charlie - *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Ira Barker, Allen Clarke, Stanley Leonard, Sam Langlin, Ty Williams, Mr. Jamison, Barnes - *I Dream of Jeannie* (1965), series, as George Webb, Captain Yardley - *Please Don't Eat the Daisies* (1965), series, as Clark - *Run for Your Life* (1965), series, as Fred Palmer - *12 O'Clock High* (1964), series, as Captain Wilson, Captain Robbins - *Kraft Suspense Theatre* (1963), series, as William Gunther, Alvin Piper - *The Fugitive* (1963), series, as Floyd, Sergeant Keith, Officer George Graham, Steve — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fugitive-1963.md) - *The Outer Limits* (1963), series, as Dr. Williams, James Custer, Lt. Rupert Lawrence Howard (uncredited) - *Arrest and Trial* (1963), series, as Wayne Holton - *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour* (1962), series, as Tom Esterow, Sgt. Lou Snyder - *Ben Casey* (1961), series, Actor - *Hazel* (1961), series, as Les Swanton - *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Dr. David Kirkson - *Kraft Mystery Theatre* (1961), series, Actor - *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Clyde, Ivar Peterson - *Naked City* (1958), series, as Resident - *The Donna Reed Show* (1958), series, as Rallye Master ## Gallery - ![Dabney Coleman in trailer for "The Towering Inferno" (1974) (2013)](https://film.one/media/person/117738/gallery-f40045f86f4f.jpg) Dabney Coleman in trailer for "The Towering Inferno" (1974) (2013) — Trailer for "The Towering Inferno" (1974), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Dabney-coleman-trailer.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Dabney Coleman](https://film.one/media/person/117738/gallery-807fde9e3091.jpg) Dabney Coleman — Aaron Rapoport, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Dabney_Coleman_%28actor%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Dabney Coleman](https://film.one/media/person/117738/gallery-e4f8e8f02a7d.jpg) Dabney Coleman — Image via TMDB - ![Dabney Coleman](https://film.one/media/person/117738/gallery-5ef47ce53234.jpg) Dabney Coleman — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Golden Globes — 1 won - 1987: Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (won) ### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won - 1987: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (won) ### SAG Awards — 1 won - 2011: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/dabney-coleman